Most South African voters are early birds, choosing to exercise their democratic right first thing in the morning, according to data from the Electoral Commission of SA.

In 2014, more than half of the people who voted had made their mark within the first 2 hours of the polls opening. In 2019, more than half voted within the first 4 hours.

It doesn’t take long to vote. The average time spent in the queue for both elections was 16 minutes.

Voter turnout dropped to 66% in 2019, the lowest recorded since 1999. The IEC says this is because of the increase in the number of registered voters.

Voting stations in South Africa are open from 7am to 9pm on 29 May. Anyone already in the queue before closing time will be allowed to cast their vote.